February 12, 2006

 2 Kings 5:1-17

Keeping It Simple

“Pastor, I am struggling with my spirituality. It seems to be withering on the vine. I have no “umph” in my walk with God. What should I do?”

“Pray.”

“What? You know that I already pray. I need something more. Surely you know of a really good spiritual direction program, or perhaps I should take off work and go on a week-long retreat. Isn’t there a book I can read or class I can take? Really, Pastor, what should I do?”

“Pray now.”
.....

“Good afternoon, Pastor Allen. I think you know why I came to you today. I’ve been struggling with an addiction – alcoholism – and I need your advice as to what I should do to overcome this problem. What do you suggest?”

“Stop drinking.”

“Well, of course, but addictions are strong and persistent things. I’m certain I need to be doing something more. I attend AA, but I’m thinking I won’t really be in recovery until I do something big. Perhaps going to the big state-wide meeting, or even better, a national event. Whadya think?”

“Stop drinking now.”
.....

“Okay, pastor, I better stop kidding myself and you: I am having an affair. She’s someone from work and she’s married. I just don’t know what to do. Can you help me?”

“Stop seeing her.”

“That wouldn’t really do it. I need something major to get me out of this relationship. Could you do a ritual of penance and cleansing for me? Perhaps some volunteer service might allow God to forgive me. I just don’t know what to do.”

“Stop seeing her now.”
.....

“This church is the best kept secret I know. It has so many good things going for it. I want you, Pastor, to tell me what to do that would help this congregation grow.”

“Invite someone to church.”

Well, that’s too obvious. No, you get out to these church meetings and you read all the current evangelization materials. What nationally known speaker could come and tell us what to do? What program could we purchase to help us take Christ to the world? What changes could we make in our church to make us more welcoming to more people. Pastor, what can we do to grow?”

“Invite someone to church today.”
....

“Pastor Allen, I feel called by God to serve the church. I’m not sure how to best respond to this call. What should I do?”

“Love the Lord Your God and love your neighbor as yourself.”

“What? I’m already doing that! I mean how can I best fulfill my calling from God? What schooling do I need? What books should I read? What conferences should I attend? What part of the world should I study to be ready to follow God’s call?”

“Love the Lord Your God and love your neighbor as yourself here and now.”
.....

Let me be clear and fair: life isn’t always so easy. There are creative and faithful responses to God that involve deeper study, more involved responses, and complex planning. But today I would like to challenge us to get back to the basics, stick to the main message, find the essential core. For Valentines Day I offer you a KISS: Keep It Simple, Sweetie!”

The story of the healing of Naaman is one of the most delightful and illuminating stories of the Bible. In it the commander of the foreign army of the king of Aram, though mighty in battle, suffers from a terrible disease. Having tried everything, his wife’s servant girl, who is from Israel, mentions the healing power of a prophet in her home country.

Without much ado, Naaman heads to Samaria, the southern Israelite kingdom, and requests healing from the King of Israel. Thinking this is a trick by the more powerful neighboring country of Aram, the king goes into an anxiety attack. But before too much damage is done, Naaman is redirected to the real prophet, Elisha.

When the mighty warrior arrives at Elisha’s house, a message is brought out by a servant instructing him to bath seven times in the River Jordan. Taking offense at Elisha’s impersonal communication, he prepares to leave in a huff. Another servant quickly calms the commander and wisely reminds him that if the prophet had told him to do something convoluted or difficult, he would have gladly complied. How much better to be instructed to do something simple. Naaman calmed down, did what he was told to do, and was healed.

Elisha, refusing any money or gifts of gratitude, did relent to send along with Naaman several bags of Israelite dirt so that he would “no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.”

All of us find ourselves either in a predicament or facing new possibilities. Many of us, especially those who gather in this space weekly, probably ask the age old question, “What would God have us do?” The story of Naaman reminds us of two very important things:
  

    1. Sometimes the simplest, most obvious, tried-and-true response is the best, and
 

    2. Don’t be afraid to listen to the little guy.

The verses that come to mind most quickly on the first point are from Matthew, Chapter 18:
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ 2He called a child, whom he put among them, 3and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”

Perhaps one of the qualities children have that Jesus was calling us to imitate is that of seeing the obvious. We adults have allowed all the baggage of life to build up and obscure some of the basic principles of life. Robert Fulgham, in his amazingly unpretentious way, reminded us of this in his much-quoted book: All I Ever Needed To Know I Learned In Kindergarten,

“Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you are sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw some and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday.

“Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out in the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup? The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why. We are like that.”

Wisdom? Yes, it is a powerful thing and a gift to those who can learn from the past. Books? I love to read and I’ve learned much about how to live life more fully and faithfully from many I have read. Workshops and classes? I’ll never stop being a student and I pray to God I never stop learning. But at the end of the day, if I have wandered too far from the basic principles of life, then I’ve gone too far.

And secondly, we must be willing to hear God’s word, even if (especially if?) it is coming from unexpected places. The story of Naaman would be nothing, would never have been recorded for our edification, if it had not been for the servants, the little people, the nameless ones, and their willingness to speak truth to power, risking life itself to help another human being find healing and new life.

•  A young slave girl, captured during a raid in Israel, speaks up and tells her mistress about a prophet in Israel who heals.

• Several servants, willing to risk confronting Naaman when he is angry and disappointed, remind him that simple is better.

• Throughout the story nameless and faceless messengers deliver news and instruction, and do their masters’ bidding.

Again, Paul in Phillipians:

Let the same mind be in you that was* in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. (Phillipians 2:5-8)

In this regard, I would like to end this sermon with a tribute to one of the most famous servants of modern pop culture, Hattie McDaniel:
 

[Editor's Note:  I did not read all of the following, which is from the Wikepedia web site, but picked portions to get a flavor of Hattie McDaniel's life.]

Early life
McDaniel was born in Wichita, Kansas to Baptist preacher Henry McDaniel (who was born into slavery as a fieldhand on a Virginia plantation) and Susan Holbert, a singer of religious music.

Career
McDaniel made her first appearance in motion pictures in 1932. She spent much of her twenty-year career playing maids, mainly owing to the paucity of roles available to African American actresses. She has been quoted as saying, "Why should I complain about making $7,000 a week playing a maid? If I didn't, I'd be making $7 a week being one." It was one such role, that of Mammy in Gone with the Wind (1939), opposite Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, that she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress on February 29, 1940, making her the first African American performer to win an Oscar. Also notably, she was the first African American to attend the Oscars as a guest. When the date of the Atlanta premiere of Gone with the Wind approached, she informed director Victor Fleming that she was unable to attend due to illness; in actuality, she did not want to attend because of the racism that pervaded Southern society at that time, for fear of increasing racial hostilities. When Clark Gable heard that McDaniel did not want to attend because of the racial issue, he threatened to boycott the premiere unless McDaniel was able to attend; he later relented when McDaniel convinced him to go.

Hattie's first major roles came in 1935 with her classic performance in Alice Adams and China Seas, the latter her first film with Gable. She also had major roles in Saratoga and The Mad Miss Manton prior to the release of Gone With the Wind. Her performance in 1942's In This Our Life is well remembered for her movingly dramatic turn as a black housewife whose son is framed in a hit-and-run accident.

Hattie became the first major African-American radio star with her comedy series Beulah in the late 1940's. She became a further trailblazer when the program became a television series in 1951. She became ill during the show's run and was replaced by Louise Beavers.

Hattie McDaniel has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood: one for her contributions to radio at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard, and one for motion pictures at 1719 Vine Street. McDaniel will also be featured on a 2006 United States postage stamp [1].

Hattie McDaniel (from the United States Postal Service Website)
In the Los Angeles metropolitan area the end of January, to launch February's Black History Month activities, actress Hattie McDaniel will be recognized as the 29th inductee into the Black Heritage Series. McDaniel worked behind the scenes to change Hollywood's view of minorities. The "Hattie McDaniel" stamp image is based on a photograph of her in the dress McDaniel wore when accepting the1939 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in "Gone with the Wind." McDaniel appeared in more than 300 films and extended her acting career into television.

Death
McDaniel died at age fifty-seven in the hospital on the grounds of the Motion Picture House in Woodland Hills. It was her wish to be buried in the Hollywood cemetery on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood, along with her fellow movie stars, but the owner, Jack Roth, refused to allow her to be interred there because she was black. She is interred in Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, Los Angeles. In 1999, the new owner of the Hollywood Cemetery, who had renamed it Hollywood Forever Cemetery, wanted to right the wrong and have Miss McDaniel interred in the cemetery. Her family did not want to disturb her remains after all that time and declined the offer. Hollywood Forever then did the next best thing and built a cenotaph memorial on the lawn overlooking the lake in honor of McDaniel. It is one of the most popular sites for visitors to the cemetery.
 

Rev. Allen V. Harris
Franklin Circle Christian Church
www.FranklinCircleChurch.org


 

Copyright 2006 -- The Rev. Allen V. Harris

Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113-3096